U.S. patent application number 13/766279 was filed with the patent office on 2014-08-14 for dust collector with spark arrester.
This patent application is currently assigned to CAMFIL FARR, INC.. The applicant listed for this patent is CAMFIL FARR, INC.. Invention is credited to Michael C. Walters.
Application Number | 20140224123 13/766279 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 51296526 |
Filed Date | 2014-08-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140224123 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Walters; Michael C. |
August 14, 2014 |
DUST COLLECTOR WITH SPARK ARRESTER
Abstract
A spark arrestor and dust arrestor for same are provided. In one
embodiment, the spark arrestor includes a housing having an inlet
and an outlet, wherein the outlet is positioned on a dust arrestor
mounting side of the housing, and a turn baffle disposed in the
housing in a position that creates a tortuous flow path through the
housing between the inlet and the outlet. The tortuous flow path
includes a low inertia channel formed in the housing having an
orientation that directs particles passing through the low inertia
channel through an upper portion of the outlet of the housing, and
a high inertia channel formed in the housing, wherein a downstream
portion of the high inertia channel has an orientation that directs
particles passing through the high inertia channel through a lower
portion of the outlet of the housing.
Inventors: |
Walters; Michael C.;
(Jonesboro, AR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
CAMFIL FARR, INC. |
Riverdale |
NJ |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
CAMFIL FARR, INC.
Riverdale
NJ
|
Family ID: |
51296526 |
Appl. No.: |
13/766279 |
Filed: |
February 13, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
95/272 ; 55/332;
55/462 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B01D 50/002 20130101;
B01D 46/0093 20130101; B01D 45/08 20130101; B01D 46/2403
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
95/272 ; 55/332;
55/462 |
International
Class: |
B01D 45/08 20060101
B01D045/08 |
Claims
1. A spark arrestor comprising: a housing having an inlet and an
outlet, wherein the outlet is positioned on a dust collector
mounting side of the housing; and a turn baffle disposed in the
housing in a position that creates a tortuous flow path through the
housing between the inlet and the outlet, wherein the tortuous flow
path comprises; a low inertia channel formed in the housing having
an orientation that directs particles passing through the low
inertia channel through an upper portion of the outlet of the
housing; and a high inertia channel formed in the housing, wherein
a downstream portion of the high inertia channel has an orientation
that directs particles passing through the high inertia channel
through a lower portion of the outlet of the housing.
2. The spark arrestor of claim 1, wherein the spark arrestor
further comprises a scalping baffle formed in the housing and below
the turn baffle.
3. The spark arrestor of claim 2, wherein a top portion of the
scalping baffle and the turn baffle define the low inertia
channel.
4. The spark arrestor of claim 2, wherein the high inertia channel
comprises a scalping channel and the downstream portion of the high
inertia channel is tapered.
5. The spark arrestor of claim 4, wherein a middle portion of the
scalping baffle and a sidewall of the housing define the scalping
channel, and wherein the sidewall is opposite the dust collector
mounting side of the housing.
6. The spark arrestor of claim 4, wherein a bottom portion of the
scalping baffle and a bottom wall of the housing define the tapered
channel.
7. The spark arrestor of claim 5, wherein the tortuous flow path
further comprises a back channel formed in the housing having an
orientation that directs particles passing through the low inertia
channel to the lower portion of the outlet of the housing through
the tapered portion of the high inertia channel.
8. The spark arrestor of claim 7, wherein the middle portion of the
scalping baffle and the dust collector mounting side of the housing
define the back channel.
9. A dust collector, comprising: a housing having a filter mounting
arrangement configured to retain replaceable air filters within the
housing, the housing having a dust collection hopper positioned
below the filter mounting arrangement; and a spark arrestor
attached to the housing, the spark arrestor having no dust
collection hopper, the spark arrestor configured to separate high
inertia particles flowing through the spark arrestor in a tortuous
flow path preferentially into a first channel relative to a second
channel by particle inertia, the second channel having an
orientation that directs high inertia particles exiting the spark
arrestor into the housing in a downwards trajectory towards the
dust collection hopper.
10. A dust collector, comprising: a dust collector housing
comprising: a filter mounting arrangement configured to retain
replaceable air filters within the dust collector housing; and a
dust collection hopper positioned below the filter mounting
arrangement; and a spark arrestor comprising: a spark arrestor
housing attached to the dust collector housing; and an inlet
adaptor coupled to the spark arrestor housing and having vanes for
directing air into the spark arrestor housing in a predefined
direction, the inlet adaptor having an adaptor inlet defining a
dust mounting plane, the inlet adaptor configured to change the
dust mounting plane of the adaptor inlet without changing the
predefined direction in which the vanes direct air into the spark
arrestor housing.
11. A dust collector comprising: a housing having a body, an inlet,
and an outlet; and a spark arrestor coupled to the body at the
inlet, wherein the spark arrestor comprises: a spark arrestor
housing having a spark arrestor inlet and a spark arrestor outlet,
wherein the spark arrestor outlet is positioned on a mounting side
of the dust collector housing; and a turn baffle disposed in the
spark arrestor housing in a position that creates a tortuous flow
path through the spark arrestor housing between the spark arrestor
inlet and the spark arrestor outlet, wherein the tortuous flow path
comprises; a low inertia channel formed in the spark arrestor
housing having an orientation that directs particles passing
through the low inertia channel through an upper portion of the
housing; and a high inertia channel formed in the spark arrestor
housing, wherein a downstream portion of the high inertia channel
has an orientation that directs particles passing through the high
inertia channel through a lower portion of the housing.
12. The spark arrestor of claim 11, wherein the spark arrestor
further comprises a scalping baffle formed in the housing and below
the turn baffle.
13. The spark arrestor of claim 11, wherein a top portion of the
scalping baffle and the turn baffle define the low inertia
channel.
14. The spark arrestor of claim 11, wherein the high inertia
channel comprises a scalping channel and the downstream portion of
the high inertia channel is tapered.
15. The spark arrestor of claim 14, wherein a middle portion of the
scalping baffle and a sidewall of the housing define the scalping
channel, and wherein the sidewall is opposite the dust collector
mounting side of the housing.
16. The spark arrestor of claim 15, wherein the tortuous flow path
further comprises a back channel formed in the housing having an
orientation that directs particles passing through the low inertia
channel to the lower portion of the outlet of the housing through
the downstream portion of the high inertia channel.
17. A method for removing sparks comprising: separating high
inertia particles and low inertia particles into separate
airstreams; preferentially directing the low inertia particles to a
first region of a dust collector; and preferentially directing the
high inertia particles to a second region of the dust collector,
wherein the second region of the dust arrestor is clear of
filters.
18. The method of claim 18, wherein the high inertia particles
comprise sparks.
19. The method of claim 17, further comprising: preferentially
directing high inertia particles inadvertently directed towards the
first region towards the second region of the dust collector.
20. The method of claim 17, wherein separating high inertia
particles and low inertia particles into separate air streams
comprises creating a tortuous flow path.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] 1. Field
[0002] The present invention relates to a spark arrester and a dust
collector for use with same.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] In many dust collector systems, a spark arrestor is employed
in the ductwork upstream of a dust collector to prevent combustible
materials, such as sparks, from entering into the dust collector
and damaging the air filters mounted in the dust collector. Common
applications for spark arrestors include dust collectors for use in
welding, plasma cutting, laser cutting, metal reclaiming and
processing, and other spark producing operations.
[0005] FIG. 1 illustrates a partial cut away elevation of a
conventional dust collector 100 coupled in series with a
conventional spark arrestor 102. The dust collector 100 includes a
housing 104 that is coupled to an air mover 106, such as a fan or
blower, for drawing air, as shown by arrows 138, from a work place
132 through at least one replaceable air filter 108 mounted in the
housing 104. The air mover 106 may be mounted to or be remote from
the housing 104. The housing 104 is constructed from a rigid
material suitable to withstand the operational pressures and
loading for which the particular dust collector is designed. The
housing 104 includes an inlet 110, an outlet 112. The housing 104
is supported by legs 114 and includes a tube sheet 116 which
separates the interior of the housing 104 into a dirty air plenum
118 and a clean air plenum 120. The dirty air plenum 118 is in
communication with the inlet 110 of the housing 104 while the clean
air plenum 120 is in communication with the outlet 112 of the
housing 104. The one or more air filters 108 are sealingly mounted
to the tube sheet 116 such that air passing through a filter
aperture 122 formed through the tube sheet 116 from the dirty air
plenum 118 to the clean air plenum 120 must first pass through at
least one air filter 108.
[0006] Not shown in FIG. 1, the dust collector 100 may optionally
include a filter cleaning system which is operable to remove at
least a portion of the dust cake formed on the air filter 108
during operation. The filter cleaning system may vibrate, shock or
utilized air jets to knock at least a portion of the dust cake
formed on the air filter into a collection hopper 124 formed in the
lower portion of the housing 104. The collection hopper 124
includes a door 126 which may be periodically opened to remove the
dust or other filtered materials from the dust collector 100.
[0007] The conventional spark arrestor 102 is generally located in
ductwork 128 upstream of and well spaced-apart from the inlet 110
of the dust collector 100 between an inlet 130 of the ductwork 128
(i.e., positioned proximate the workplace 132 where the sparks are
generated) and the dust collector 100. The conventional spark
arrestor 102 includes a spark collection hopper 134 and a door 136
which may be periodically opened to remove extinguished sparks from
the conventional spark arrestor 102.
[0008] In operation, particulates and sparks 140, generated at the
workplace 132 are entrained in the air 138 that enters ductwork 128
at the inlet 130. The air 138 flows through the ductwork 128 and
enters the conventional spark arrestor 102. The conventional spark
arrestor 102 may be a baffle box or other device configured to
arrest sparks. The baffle box, as shown in FIG. 1, has a baffle
plate which separates sparks 140 from the air passing through the
spark arrestor 102. Separated sparks 140 are dropped into the spark
collection hopper 134. The air 138 exiting the conventional spark
arrestor 102 continues through the ductwork 128 and into the dust
collector 100 through the inlet 110.
[0009] The conventional spark arrestor 102 is generally isolated
from the dust collector 100 and requires cleaning and maintenance,
such as emptying the spark collection hopper 134, in addition to
the cleaning and maintenance already required for the dust
collector 100 itself. This makes the conventional spark arrestor
102 difficult and time consuming to maintain, particularly if the
ductwork containing the spark arrestor is not easily
accessible.
[0010] Therefore, there is a need for an apparatus for removing
sparks entrained in an air flow prior to filtering.
SUMMARY
[0011] A spark arrestor, dust collector, and method for removing
sparks entrained in an air flow are provided. In one embodiment,
the spark arrestor includes a housing having an inlet and an
outlet, wherein the outlet is positioned on a dust collector
mounting side of the housing, and a turn baffle disposed in the
housing in a position that creates a tortuous flow path through the
housing between the inlet and the outlet. The tortuous flow path
includes a low inertia channel formed in the housing having an
orientation that directs particles passing through the low inertia
channel through an upper portion of the outlet of the housing, and
a high inertia channel formed in the housing, wherein a downstream
portion of the high inertia channel has an orientation that directs
particles passing through the high inertia channel through a lower
portion of the outlet of the housing.
[0012] In one embodiment a dust collector includes housing having a
filter mounting arrangement configured to retain replaceable air
filters within the housing. The housing has a dust collection
hopper positioned below the filter mounting arrangement and a spark
arrestor attached to the housing. The spark arrestor has no dust
collection hopper and the spark arrestor is configured to separate
high inertia particles flowing through the spark arrestor in a
tortuous flow path preferentially into a first channel relative to
a second channel by particle inertia. The second channel has an
orientation that directs high inertia particles exiting the spark
arrestor into the housing in a downwards trajectory towards the
dust collection hopper.
[0013] In another embodiment, a dust collector includes a dust
collector housing having a filter mounting arrangement configured
to retain replaceable air filters within the dust collector
housing, and a dust collection hopper positioned below the filter
mounting arrangement. The dust collector also includes a spark
arrestor that includes a spark arrestor housing attached to the
dust collector housing and an inlet adaptor coupled to the spark
arrestor housing and having vanes for directing air into the spark
arrestor housing in a predefined direction. The inlet adaptor has
an adaptor inlet that defines a duct mounting plane. The inlet
adaptor is configured to change the dust mounting plane of the
adaptor inlet without changing the predefined direction in which
the vanes direct air into the spark arrestor housing.
[0014] In another embodiment, a dust collector includes a housing
having a body, an inlet, and an outlet, and a spark arrestor
coupled to the body at the inlet. The spark arrestor includes a
spark arrestor housing having a spark arrestor inlet and a spark
arrestor outlet, wherein the spark arrestor outlet is positioned on
a mounting side of the dust collector housing. The spark arrestor
further includes a turn baffle disposed in the spark arrestor
housing in a position that creates a tortuous flow path through the
spark arrestor housing between the spark arrestor inlet and the
spark arrestor outlet. The tortuous flow path of the spark arrestor
includes: (i) a low inertia channel formed in the spark arrestor
housing having an orientation that directs particles passing
through the low inertia channel through an upper portion of the
housing; and (ii) a high inertia channel formed in the spark
arrestor housing, wherein a downstream portion of the high inertia
channel has an orientation that directs particles passing through
the high inertia channel through a lower portion of the
housing.
[0015] In yet another embodiment, a method for arresting sparks
includes separating high inertia particles and low inertia
particles into separate airstreams, preferentially directing the
low inertia particles to first region of a dust collector; and
preferentially directing the high inertia particles to a second
region of the dust collector, wherein the second region of the dust
arrestor is clear of filters.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] So that the manner in which the above recited features of
the present disclosure can be understood in detail, a more
particular description of the disclosure, briefly summarized above,
may be had by reference to embodiments, some of which are
illustrated in the appended drawings. It is to be noted, however,
that the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of
this disclosure and are therefore not to be considered limiting of
its scope, for the disclosure may admit to other equally effective
embodiments.
[0017] FIG. 1 is a partial cut away elevation of one embodiment of
a dust collector having a conventional spark arrestor known in the
art;
[0018] FIG. 2A is a partial cut away elevation of one embodiment of
a dust collector having a spark arrestor disposed thereon;
[0019] FIG. 2B is an enlargement of the partial cut away elevation
of the dust collector of FIG. 2A;
[0020] FIG. 2C is an enlargement of the partial cut away elevation
of the dust collector of FIG. 2B;
[0021] FIG. 3 is a partial cut away elevation of one embodiment of
a dust collector having a spark arrestor disposed thereon; and
[0022] FIG. 4 is one embodiment of a front view of a spark arrestor
inlet adapter.
[0023] To facilitate understanding, identical reference numerals
have been used, where possible, to designate identical elements
that are common to the figures. It is contemplated that elements
and features of one embodiment may be beneficially incorporated in
other embodiments without further recitation.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0024] FIG. 2A is a partial cut away elevation of one embodiment of
a spark arrestor 202 coupled to a dust collector 200. Although the
spark arrestor 202 as illustrated is used in an exemplary
embodiment of the dust collector 200, it is contemplated that
embodiments of spark arrestors described herein may be utilized in
dust collectors of varying designs, including those available from
different manufactures. The spark arrestor 202 may also be provided
integrally with new dust collectors or be added to existing dust
collectors present in the field.
[0025] The dust collector 200 is similar to the dust collector 100
and includes a housing 204 that is coupled to an air mover 206,
such as a fan or blower, for drawing air through at least one
replaceable air filter 208 mounted in the housing 204. The air
mover 206 may be mounted to or be remote from the housing 204. The
housing 204 is constructed from a rigid material suitable to
withstand the operational pressures and loading for which the
particular dust collector is designed. The housing 204 includes an
inlet 210 and an outlet 212. The inlet 210 has an upper portion 298
and a lower portion 299. The housing 204 may be supported by legs
214 and includes a tube sheet 216 which separates the interior of
the housing 204 into a dirty air plenum 218 and a clean air plenum
220. The dirty air plenum 218 is in communication with the inlet
210 of the housing 204 while the clean air plenum 220 is in
communication with the outlet 212 of the housing 204. The one or
more air filters 208 are sealingly mounted to the tube sheet 216
such that air passing through a filter aperture 222 formed through
the tube sheet 216 from the dirty air plenum 218 to the clean air
plenum 220, must first pass through on the air filters 208.
[0026] Not shown in FIG. 2A, the dust collector 200 may optionally
include a filter cleaning system which is operable to remove at
least a portion of the dust cake formed on the air filter 208
during operation. The filter cleaning system may vibrate, shock or
utilized air jets to knock at least a portion of the dust cake
formed on the air filter into a collection hopper 224 formed in the
lower portion of the housing 204. The collection hopper 224
includes a door 226 which may be periodically opened to remove the
dust or other filtered materials from the dust collector 200.
[0027] Referring to FIGS. 2A and 2B, the spark arrestor 202
includes a housing 270 and an inlet adapter 274. The housing 270
includes a top wall 228, a bottom wall 230, a first sidewall 232, a
second sidewall 234, an inlet 236 and an outlet 272. In one
embodiment, the housing 270 also includes a turn baffle 238 and a
scalping baffle 240. The first sidewall 232 is configured to be
located adjacent the dust collector housing 204 and includes a
first end 250 and a second end 252, and the second sidewall 234
includes a first end 254 and a second end 256. The top wall 228 is
coupled to the first sidewall 232 at the first end 250 and coupled
to the second sidewall 234 at the first end 254. In one embodiment,
the top wall 228 is coupled to the first sidewall 232 at an angle
201 that is less than 90 degrees and is coupled to the second
sidewall 234 at an angle 203 that is greater than 90 degrees. The
bottom wall 230 is coupled to the second sidewall 234 at the second
end 256 and to the housing 204. In one embodiment, the bottom wall
230 is coupled to the second sidewall 234 at an angle 205 that is
greater than 90 degrees, and is coupled to the housing 204 at an
angle 207 that is greater than 90 degrees. The distance between the
second wall 234 and the outlet is defined by "H."
[0028] The inlet adapter 274 is coupled to the top wall 228 over
the inlet 236. In one embodiment, the inlet adapter 274 includes a
body 276 having an adapter inlet 278, an adapter outlet 279, a
mounting flange 280, a ductwork mounting flange 282, and one or
more guide vanes 242. In one embodiment, a plurality of guide vanes
242 are disposed partially within the inlet adapter body 276 and
extend out of the adapter outlet 279 and into the spark arrestor
housing 270. The guide vanes 242 straighten air flow going through
the inlet adapter 274 and out of the adapter outlet 297, thus
creating a substantially uni-directional air flow entering the
housing 270. In one embodiment, the guide vanes 242 are oriented at
an angle between about 30 and about 60 degrees, for example about
45 degrees, to a plane 251 defined by the adapter inlet 278 and
between about 60 to about 120 degrees, for example 90 degrees, to
the plane 251 defined by the adapter outlet 279.
[0029] In one embodiment, the inlet adapter 274 is reversible so as
to change the angular orientation of the plane 251 of the adapter
inlet 278 relative to the spark arrestor housing 270. As shown in
FIGS. 2A and 2B, the plane 251 of the adapter inlet 278 has a
vertical orientation, i.e., in a vertical plane, and is configured
to accept horizontally oriented ductwork at the ductwork mounting
flange 282. The inlet adapter 274 is detachable from the spark
arrestor housing 270 at the mounting flange 280, and the inlet
adapter 274 is configured to rotate 180 degrees about an axis that
passes between the adapter inlet 278 and the adapter outlet 279 to
change the angular orientation of the plane 251 of the inlet
adapter 274. As shown in FIG. 3, the inlet adapter inlet 274 can be
mounted to the spark arrestor housing 270 in a manner that changes
the orientation about 90 degrees of the plane 251 of the adapter
inlet 278 from that shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B. Here, the plane 251
of the adapter inlet 278 has a horizontal mounting orientation,
i.e., horizontal plane, and is configured to accept vertically
oriented ductwork at the ductwork mounting flange 282.
Beneficially, guide vanes 242 of the inlet adapter 274 remain at
substantially the same angle relative to the spark arrestor housing
270, independent of the orientation of the plane 251 of the adapter
inlet 278, such that air entering the spark arrestor housing 270
has the same directionality no matter what the orientation of the
adapter inlet 278 or ductwork coupled thereto.
[0030] Referring to FIGS. 2B and 4, the inlet adapter 274 (guiding
vanes 242 are shown removed for clarity) has a length defined by
"L," a width defined by "W," and a surface area of the adapter
inlet 278 defined by "A." In one embodiment, the inlet adapter 274
has a high length L to width W aspect ratio to advantageously
direct air flow through the surface area A and more easily into the
spark arrestor inlet 236. For example, in one embodiment, the inlet
adapter 274 has a length L to width W aspect ratio of less than
about 4:1, for example, about 3.6:1. As the width W decreases, the
air flowing through the adapter inlet 278 is more confined and
advantageously configured to take on a tortuous path 211 (as seen
in FIG. 2A) in the spark arrestor 202. Additionally, a high length
L to width W aspect ratio allows the distance H, shown in FIG. 2B,
to be minimized without the expense of increased pressure drop
within the spark arrestor 202. This advantageously allows for a
smaller spark arrestor and overall reduced footprint of the spark
arrestor housing 270.
[0031] Referring to FIGS. 2A-2C, at least some embodiments of the
spark arrestor 202 may include an optional diffuser grate 244 that
extends substantially along the length of the outlet 272. The
diffuser grate 244 may be perforated and include apertures 245 to
uniformly distribute air exiting the spark arrestor 202 into the
dust collector 200. In one embodiment, the diffuser grate 244
includes a slot 247 that is formed either in the diffuser grate 244
or between an end of the diffuser grate 244 and the bottom wall
230. The slot beneficially allows high inertia particles to pass
unimpeded to the dust collector hopper 224 and requires less of a
need to open the spark arrestor 202 for cleaning.
[0032] The turn baffle 238 redirects air entering the spark
arrestor 202 so that the air takes on the tortuous path 211 through
the spark arrestor 202. The turn baffle 238 that has a first end
284 and a second end 286. The turn baffle 238 is coupled to the
second end 252 of the first sidewall 232 at the first end 284, and
extends towards the second sidewall 234. The turn baffle 238 slopes
downwards towards the bottom wall 230. In one embodiment, the turn
baffle 238 is sloped at an angle 281 that is less than 90
degrees.
[0033] The scalping baffle 240 functions to split the air traveling
in the tortuous path 211 into a high inertial channel 294 and a low
inertial channel 246. The scalping baffle 240 has a substantially
"C" shaped body including a top portion 258, a middle portion 288,
and a bottom portion 260. The bottom portion 260 has an entrance
end 290 and a tip 292. The top portion 258 of the scalping baffle
240 and the second end 286 of turn baffle 238 form the entrance of
the low inertia channel 246. The second end 256 of the second
sidewall 234 and the middle portion 288 of the scalping baffle 240
form the high inertia channel 294. The entrance to the high inertia
channel 294 is located at the outer radial portion of one of the
bends in the tortuous flow path 211 while the adjacent entrance to
the low inertia channel 246 is located at the inner radial portion
of the bend in the tortuous flow path 211. Since high inertia
particles, such as sparks and the like, have more resistance to
direction change and therefore travel predominantly along outer
radial portions of the bends in the tortuous flow path 211, the
high inertia particles preferentially enter the high inertia
channel 294 relative to the low inertia channel 264.
[0034] The bottom portion 260 of the scalping baffle 240 and the
bottom wall 230 of the scalping channel 240 form a tapered portion
248 at the end of the high inertial channel 294. The tapered
portion 248 of the high inertia channel is wider near the entrance
end 290 and is narrower near the tip 292 of the bottom portion 260
of the scalping baffle 240. The tapered portion 248 of the high
inertia channel 294 is oriented at a downward angle relative to
horizontal and is configured to direct air and particles exiting
the spark arrestor 202 in a downward trajectory (i.e., less than
zero degrees relative to horizontal), and away from the air filters
208 disposed in the dust collector housing 204.
[0035] Aback channel 209 is also formed between the scalping baffle
240 and the spark arrestor outlet 272. In one embodiment, the back
channel 209 has a substantially vertical orientation that is
parallel to the middle portion 288 of the scalping baffle 240.
[0036] In one mode of operation, particle laden air 262 enters the
spark arrestor 202 mounted to the dust collector 202 through the
inlet adapter 274. In one embodiment, the air 262 is provided
through ductwork that is connected to the adapter inlet 278 at the
ductwork mounting flange 282. The particulate laden air 262 enters
the adapter inlet 278 and flows between the guiding vanes 242. The
guiding vanes 242 straighten the particulate laden air 262 flowing
into the spark arrestor inlet 236 so as to direct the particulate
laden air 262 towards the turn baffle 238, which causes the
particulate laden air 262 to take the tortuous flow path 211. In
one embodiment, the tortuous flow path 211 is defined as a
non-linear flow path or a flow path without a straight line of
sight. The tortuous flow path 211 includes a portion spit between:
(i) a low inertia air flow 264 having air flowing through that is
predominately made up of smaller and lighter particles, therefore
particles having low inertia, and (ii) a high inertia air flow 266,
having air flowing through that is predominantly made up of larger
and heavier particles, therefore particles having high inertia. In
one embodiment, the large particles, such as sparks, are
predominantly entrained in the high inertia air flow 266.
[0037] In one embodiment, the tortuous flow path 211 causes the low
inertia air flow 264 to pass through the low inertial channel 246,
through the spark arrestor outlet 272 and into the upper portion
298 of the inlet 210 of the dust collector 200, towards the filters
208. The small particles in the low inertia air flow 264 enter the
dirty air plenum 218, wherein the air mover 206 draws air through
the air filters 208 mounted in the housing 204. The air flows
through the filter apertures 222 of the air filters 208 and into to
the clean air plenum 220 as clean air. The clean air exits the
housing 204 through the outlet 212.
[0038] In one embodiment, the tortuous flow path 211 causes the
high inertia air flow 266 to pass through the high inertia channel
294. The high inertia air flow 266 having heavier particles
traveling through the high inertial channel 294 is directed in a
downward trajectory out of the spark arrestor outlet 272 and into
the bottom portion 299 of the inlet 210 of the dust collector 200,
and into the dirty air plenum 218 in a trajectory away from the air
filters 208. Due to the weight of the heavier particles and the
downward entrance into the bottom portion 299 of the inlet 210, the
heavier particles fall towards and into the hopper 224. In
embodiments that include the diffuser grate 244, the high inertia
air flow 266 passes through the tapered channel 248 in a downward
trajectory through the slot 247 towards the spark arrestor outlet
272. The slot 247 advantageously allows the heavier particles,
being in larger in size, to exit through the spark arrestor outlet
272 more freely and into the bottom portion 299 of the inlet 210 of
the dust collector 200.
[0039] Additionally, backpressure created by the tapered portion
248 of the high inertia channel 294 directs air having
predominantly low inertia particles through the low inertia channel
246 as the low inertia particles will more readily change direction
with the air flow, and thus aid in directing the low inertia
particles into the low inertia channel 246 and into the dirty air
plenum 218 towards the air filters 208.
[0040] A small percentage of heavier particles having high inertia
in the tortuous flow path 211 will inadvertently be presented in
the low inertia channel 246. As the velocity of the low inertia air
flow 264 in the low inertia channel 246 decreases as the low
inertia air flow 264 moves closer towards the spark arrestor outlet
272, the heavier particles may settle out of the low inertia
channel 246 and drop into the back channel 209. The back channel
209 allows heavier particles to be re-entrained with other heavier
particles entrained in the high inertia air flow 266 exiting the
spark arrestor outlet 272, thus, reducing the probability of sparks
in the heavier particles being directed at and damaging the air
filters 208.
[0041] The above described spark arrestors advantageously draw
heavy particles, i.e. sparks, into a dust collector towards a
hopper and away from the filters and beneficially allows for a
spark arrestor integrated with the dust collector without
additional steps of cleaning and removing the sparks.
[0042] Additionally, as the spark arrestor attached to the dust
collector housing has no integral dust collection hopper, and that
the spark arrestor utilizes the integral dust collection hopper
integrally formed at the bottom of the dust collector housing, a
much larger amount of particles may be separated by the spark
arrestor and collected by the dust collector prior to having the
hopper emptied as compared to conventional spark arrestors having
relatively small collection hoppers integral to the spark arrestor
itself. This advantageously lengthens the service interval and
reduces the cost of ownership. Moreover, since access to a separate
spark arrestor hopper need not be accommodated, a more efficient
utilization of the facility layout may be achieved as space may be
utilized for other processes, equipment and the like.
[0043] While the foregoing is directed to embodiments of the
present disclosure, other and further embodiments of the disclosure
may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof, and
the scope thereof is determined by the claims that follow.
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